Tom Donnellan

Tom Donnellan is an Irish former Gaelic footballer who played for Roscommon Gaels and the Roscommon county team. ^{[1] [2]}

Donnellan's inter-county career coincided with a successful period for Roscommon from the end of the 1970s to the beginning of the 1980s. ^[3] With Roscommon he won four Connacht Senior Football Championship titles in 1977, 1978, 1979 and 1980. ^[4] He played in the 1980 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship final, ^[5] after winning a National Football League title in 1979. ^[5] His playing position was a defensive one, ^[6] for example, he played at centre half-back against Cork in the 1979 league final. ^[7]

Donnellan trained as a teacher in Strawberry Hill. ^[8] Since his retirement he has become interested in pétanque. ^[5]

References

1. "Tributes paid following death of former Roscommon player and health campaigner". Roscommon Herald. 30 December 2023.
2. Healy, Paul (4 January 2024). "Community mourns John McDermott". Roscommon People.
3. Duke, Seamus (18 March 2020). "Seamus Duke's best Roscommon 15". Roscommon People.
4. Healy, Paul (15 December 2016). "New book chronicles exploits of great Roscommon team of 1977–1980". Roscommon People.
5. Smyth, Ivan (13 September 2024). "Tom swaps the GAA pitch for pétanque". Roscommon Herald.
6. "Always enlightening, always faithful to the game he once graced... that's former Roscommon great Tom Heneghan". Hogan Stand. 1 March 2001.
7. "Pat's cherished memories of League win". Roscommon People. 1 January 2010.
8. "Brian Mullins: In his own words". 5 October 2022. Previously Jimmy Deenihan and Tom Donnellan from Roscommon and a whole load of Irish GAA lads had to go to Strawberry Hill for their first year because the Department of Education were planning the building and the concept of a National College of Physical Education and were only making progress. The custom and practice at that time was that 12 or so applicants for PE teaching would be trained over there.